Reported for having no train ticket

I don't know for certain but I'd be really surprised if they gave you anything more than a fine for a first time minor offence like this. I definitely wouldn't expect a criminal record. Down here they say it's a £20 fine but I very rarely see it enforced, most ticket inspectors are happy to just let you buy one when you leave the station. So I'm thinking you'll definitely get a fine but probably not a huge one, and they'll just warn you that if you do it again there's a possibility of prosecution.

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My friend did the exact same thing as this as was fined £320. He was on a longer train journey, so maybe that had something to do with the fine, as well as he received some form of grief from the transport police - though I can't remember exactly what this was.
OP learn your lesson.

Yeah as I said, this isn't about learning my lesson, I know that. It's just about what will exactly come of it. Was your friend just required to pay up the fine, or did he have to go to court?

To my knowledge he was made to pay the fine then that was the end of it. So it was prosecution through a fine. My overall point here is just be careful, whereas they used to turn a blind eye or dole out small fines, now they are becoming much stricter.

That's not the case here, I could have paid prior to my journey (but didn't as was a little rushed), then I could have seeked out a staff member on the train, and then at the station I get off at, there's at least 3 exits, two of which are never manned (apart from this time), the other being the one where the tickets are sold.

Ah ok fair enough. Well I think theft is something you don't have to have intention for to be guilty of, legally speaking (I'm basing this off layman A Level knowledge)

I hope it goes well. It is still unlikely you have to go to court, seems drastic for first offense.